Setia went to her chambers. She was fed up with other people's problems and all the noise. Tendred was pleased with the conversation with the usurper, as he later called her, but Setia was waiting for the outcome of this meeting. Aktis sat on Fenigrid's throne not because she was a nice and charming woman, but because she was a cunning and tough diplomat, ready for anything to achieve her goal. Honestly, she hoped that Aktis would help her solve the husband issue. If an accident happened to Tendred, she would have the perfect excuse for war. The plan wasn't specified yet, but she was waiting for Fenigrid to make a move. She lifted the hem of her dress and almost stepped on it. She cursed under her lips she missed the comfortable soldier's clothes, but every war requires a different uniform. Now her uniform was elegant and quite heavy dresses. A guard stood in front of the chamber and straightened as soon as he saw her.
"Make sure no one disturbs me." She said to him and went inside.
Moros was sitting in the room, accompanied by a middle-aged man. At the sight of her, they both jumped up.
"Welcome." Setia came closer to the people standing and looked closely at the sturdy man. "You seem to look much better."
"Yes, Duchess - the man bowed - I came to thank you for saving my life. Such selfless help is rare, and even from a noble lady, I was very lucky. I have nothing on me, but I would like to offer you my services to thank you for saving my life."
"Let's sit down." Setia pointed to the chairs at the small elegant table. "What's your name?"
"At my Lady." Saying this, he sat down. He was wearing the same simple soldier's clothes in which they found him on the road to Kalimin. He had short light brown hair, a two-day stubble and honest blue-gray eyes.
"Do you remember who did this to you then?" Setia inquired.
"They were my companions -At admitted sadly - it was about money from the last order. We weren't doing well recently and there was little money left. They decided to cut off Dirk as he was the youngest. I opposed and …well they killed Dirk and I got wounded. I was left alone to face a painful death.
His story was nothing new to Setia, she nodded with understanding. "Do you work as a hired soldier?"
"Yes, my lady - he confirmed, looking her straight in the face with those sincere eyes - I would like to repay my debt and express my gratitude. Few would stop to help a sellsword like me."
"That's true - Setia agreed - I will be happy to use your services and reward you handsomely for completing a secret order - she looked significantly at At - have you ever had such orders?"
"Yes, my Lady, but I have never killed children or women." His voice was firm.
"You have rules, that's good. This order will refer to a man who has already killed women and children." She decided to make something up, and Moros looked at her carefully with a questioning look. At was waiting in silence so she continued. "It's about Brandis from Fenigrid, it's supposed to look like a robbery attack or an accident. If you accept the order, after completing the task you will report to a certain legist in Fenigrid who will pay you 30 gold arenas for your silence. Your debt will be completely repaid and you will become a rich man. Should you fail and reveal my name I will make sure to kill you."
She saw from Ato's face that the amount impressed him, he had probably never had that much money in his hands. At rose from his seat and knelt down in front of Setia
"I am at your disposal, my Lady. Rest assured I will remain silent."
A moment later, jingling his full purse, At left Setia's chambers.The Duchess of Emfer stretched in her chair and smiled at her own thoughts.
"I see that everything is going as you planned." Moros did not hide his admiration for her determination.
"It's not going well yet, little brother." Setia loosened the strings in her corset, something was pressing on her left side. "Only when we get rid of Brandis, I will feel that we are moving forward. We have a way bigger problem." She sighed, Moros looked at her with surprise-
"We're running out of gold."
"Why, I thought you still had a lot of it. Has everything been spent yet?" He remembered the chests full of wealth that he had seen at Hiron's.
"I have three more chests, but two of them contain mainly silver and some valuables." Setia stood up and tried to loosen her corset again. " I have to go to Hiron. It's not completely bad, because tax money has come in, but you need to start gathering mercenaries. I can't afford a large mercenary army in the middle of winter. Nevertheless, I will send letters on Tendred's behalf to recruit people in the spring. We are unable to pay more than one and a half to two thousand people. And we will maintain this number of soldiers for a maximum of two months. During this time we must take over Fenigrid.
"With an army of one and a half thousand at your disposal, do you want to take over the entire principality? " She heard the doubt in her friend's voice. "I'm not a soldier, but I don't think it's much."
"No, it's damn little - she walked up to Moros and put her hands on the table - that's why we had to get rid of Brandis, then Aktis, and then there will be an interregnum in Fenigrid and I will enter the stage as the right and only heir, and this army will only be my retinue.
"A bold plan - Moros whistled with delight - I wonder if you will succeed?"
"Whoever doubts himself will not achieve success. – she said firmly – I don't have time for doubts, I put too much heart and money into this project. Now there's no turning back." She straightened up and started fiddling with the corset again.
"Let me help you, I see you're getting tired - said Moros helpfully, - and I have a lot of experience in removing corsets." He smiled mischievously.